Tommy Emmanuel Queen's Theatre, Barnstaple Monday, March 15

THE abominable showman is back next week no doubt ready to turn all the guitarists in the audience green with envy as he shows off his six string dexterity, writes Rosanna Rothery.

Fabulous fingerpicker, Tommy Emmanuel, has played alongside many guitar greats including Stevie Wonder, Eric Clapton and Chet Atkins. (Indeed this is the guy that Chet Atkins described as "probably the greatest finger picker in the world today.")

Emmanuel means "God is with us" and as those of you who have been to his gigs will know the guy certainly seems to possess a supernatural ability when it comes to finger picking. He is infuriatingly brilliant.

In Australia Emmanuel is a national treasure (his guitar playing is as much part of Aussie folk-lore as Waltzing Matilda, kangaroos and a half decent cricket team) and in 2000 he played to more than two billion people, when he performed at the Summer Olympics closing ceremony in Sydney.

Audiences will no doubt be doubly blown away this time around as Tommy returns with the Frank Vignola Trio.

Frank is said to be one of the most accomplished, multi-dimensional players walking the planet today. Monster player, composer and improviser, he plays proficiently in every genre, from jazz to bluegrass.

No doubt Emmanuel and jazz sensation Vignola will turn many a well known tune inside-out with their virtuosity. Their unique chemistry was recently captured in a couple of spontaneous recording sessions for a brilliant new CD, entitled In Between Frets. Luckily for us, some of those magical musical moments will be recaptured on stage.

Tickets: £17.50. Box office: 01271 324242 or visit the website www.northdevontheatres. org.